BBO-PLAYER-NEWS-WIRE -

Part 1

August 06, 2012|Reuters

MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Sheets, Ben

RHP Ben Sheets pitched another masterpiece, scattering seven hits in 7 1/3 innings and allowing just one run to lower his ERA through five starts to 1.41. He has allowed one run or none in four of his starts and has pitched at least six innings every time.

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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Heyward, Jason

RF Jason Heyward equaled his career high with his 18th homer. The only time in his three seasons he didn't have 18 -- last year -- he had 14.

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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Bloomquist, Willie

SS/3B Willie Bloomquist was hitless in four at-bats on his return to the lineup after missing six games because of back pain. "I probably waited a little extra on that. He's ready to go," manager Kirk Gibson said. Bloomquist, who leads the NL witn a .397 batting average with runners in scoring position, first felt back discomfort a week ago and was held out of three-game series against the Dodgers and Phillies.

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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Nieves, Wil

C Wil Nieves was signed to fill C Henry Blanco's roster spot after Blanco (left thumb) was placed on the disabled list Monday. Nieves, a free agent after rejecting an outright assignment by Colorado last weekend, hit .298 with one home run and five RBI in 16 games with the Rockies this season. "Part of my challenge is to bring him up to speed," manager Kirk Gibson said. Nieves, who has played in parts of nine seasons in the major leagues, broke in with San Diego in 2002, when Kevin Towers was the Padres' general manager.

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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Young, Chris

CF Chris Young singled in four at-bats in his 850th game with the D-backs on Sunday, breaking a tie with CF Steve Finley for the second most games played in franchise history. LF Luis Gonzalez, currently a special assistant to president/CEO Derrick Hall, played in 1,194 games with the D-backs. Young also is second to Gonzalez in franchise history in at-bats, doubles and walks. He is one extra-base hit from tying Finley for second behind Gonzalez in that category.

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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Goldschmidt, Paul

1B Paul Goldschmidt had the D-backs' only two hits Monday, a second-inning double and a seventh-inning single on which he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. He has 31 doubles this season. He was the only Arizona batter to reach base.

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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Verlander, Justin

RHP Justin Verlander reached a season high in pitches thrown and equaled his career high with 14 strikeouts Monday in Detroit's 7-2 victory over the Yankees. Verlander broke a two-start losing streak with eight innings of eight-hit ball in which the only two runs the Yankees scored were unearned as the result of the starter muffing a throw while covering first base. Verlander said he and pitching coach Jeff Jones consulted on why he'd lost two straight starts due to big innings. They made some minor adjustments, changes that obviously worked. His 132 pitches were one more than he threw in his third start of the season and one off his career high in a playoff game against the Yankees last fall. Verlander also took a shot off the calf in the seventh inning on a ball hit by SS Derek Jeter, but he fought through the pain to finish that inning and add another.

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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Hernandez, David

RHP David Hernandez, struck on the lower right leg by Domonic Brown's single Sunday, did not report any serious reaction and was available Monday, although he did not pitch.

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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Johnson, Reed

OF Reed Johnson has gone 3-for-7 in his two starts for the Braves, one in right field and one in left field. He feels comfortable playing all three outfield positions, having made 229 career starts in right, 306 in left and 176 in center.

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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Jones, Chipper

3B Chipper Jones got the start off, as previously planned. He started five straight games from Wednesday through Sunday, including Sunday's day game. C Brian McCann got the start off in two of those games, and manager Fredi Gonzalez doesn't like to have both of them out of the lineup at the same time.

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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Ross, David

C David Ross has had at least one hit in his last four games and in 14 of his last 15 starts. He's batting .298 with six home runs and 13 RBI in his 28 starts this season.